Dear Ones,
Happy weekend to you!  We are still waiting for the sun to show it’s face today,  and  so far no rain. This morning I did food prep and made strogonoff and going to bake this afternoon. 
 Devotions from Judy’s heart
As I hear from many of you of your health concerns and trials you are going through, I wish that I could just wave all your struggles away. I pray and if I had my way, I would take you out of your present difficult circumstances and give you a carefree life without pain and all the struggles. But it doesn’t always happen that way and there is purpose and even blessings in our suffering that we may not realize at the time. Paul tells the Philippians that it is a privilege to suffer for Christ and he was speaking from personal experience. He says in Phil. 1: 29-30 (NRSV), “For He has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for Him as well—since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear I still have.” Have you noticed how suffering weeds out what is superficial in our lives and we see what is truly important? In fact, our faith can grow so much stronger in the midst of what we are going through as we become so dependent on the Lord. The enemy would want to tell us we are going through these trials and pain because we are being punished for doing something wrong and we can start wondering if our faith is enough. But it could be just the opposite as God wants to use us as a demonstration of His grace. Sometimes when others are going through hardships, I want to say, “Do you realize how those around you are observing how you respond and are encouraged by the strength God is giving you! Your life is exemplifying God’s grace in a shining way.” May we learn all that God is teaching us in the midst of our struggles and also to be a Star witness of His grace and power.
Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to help you shine for Him in the times of your greatest struggles.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy